Pizza Hut is piloting a new restaurant concept.Once known for its distinctive dining rooms with branded lamp shades and red tumbler cups, the pizza chain has cut back over the years. In 2019, it announced plans to close about 500 restaurants, and since then has focused more on delivery over dine-in sales. But now, despite the closures, the chain is looking to invest again in its restaurants.[Photo: Pizza Hut]Pizza Hut said this week it would be piloting a new restaurant in Plano, Texas, with a new elevated, modern design. The new store concept, the first of its kind in the U.S., puts an open kitchen in sight of guests and adds in both self-service kiosks for ordering and cabinets for contactless pick up.New energy-efficient lighting, ovens, and auto-lift fryers were designed for sustainability; theres also a drive-throughunusual for a pizza jointwith a specially designed Hut N Go menu that will serve a limited number of ready-now items that can be ordered and picked up at the window. The hat-shaped roof of Pizza Huts of yesteryear even gets a nod with an icon above the wordmark.[Photo: Pizza Hut]Pizza Huts same-store sales fell by 4% in the most recent quarter and its parent company Yum Brands missed earnings estimates, which its CEO blamed in part on weak consumer sentiment. It doesnt help that pizza is a competitive category. The new store, though, could not only help Pizza Hut set itself apart from rivals like Papa Johns and Little Caesars, but compete with other fast-food chains that have their own quick-service drive-throughs and self-service kiosks.Yum Brands, which also runs KFC and Taco Bell, has experimented with unconventional store concepts before, including Taco Bells two-story drive-through and Taco Bell Cantina, which sells alcoholic drinks. A Pizza Hut spokesperson tells Fast Company that by utilizing its parent companys global scale, we are able to partner with our sister brands to leverage insights on guest and team-member learnings.[Photo: Pizza Hut]Other chain restaurants have undergone redesigns in recent years to adapt to changes in consumer habits. Wendys redesigned itself for the Uber Eats era with new stores that can better handle digital orders, while Chick-fil-A announced its first drive-through-only location in Atlanta last year. Pizza Hut is following suit.Already, the pizza chains new store concept is in use in more than 80 markets outside the U.S. If it works as well in Plano as it has internationally, diners may well see it popping up elsewhere in this country. Where its been rolled out, Pizza Huts new store has driven an increase in transactions and in-restaurant traffic, the company says.With the new store concept, Pizza Hut is taking on multiple priorities at once, which could help it navigate the changing landscape that restaurants face today. The new restaurant gives consumers a dine-in experience they cant get at other national pizza chains while the focus on convenience will appeal to customers who prefer getting their food to go. Pizza isnt just for delivery anymore, and Pizza Hut seems prepared to pivot.

Continuing our review of 2024, we reflect on some of the most striking residential interior designs on Dezeen from the past year including projects by Fala Atelier and Uchronia.From muted minimalism to unusual colour blocking, the projects listed below highlight the scope of global interiors trends from the last 12 months.In particular, designers were seen to delve into the eclectic histories of the homes they worked on to inform contemporary renovations.Read on for Dezeen's top 10 home interiors of 2024:Photo by Justin ChungDuane House, USA, by OWIUReaders praised the "beautifully executed" interior of Duane House, a mid-century renovation in Los Angeles with traditional Japanese influences.The principals of local studio OWIU completed the project as a self-designed home. It features original red brick flooring, sliding shoji screens and delicate Akari lamps by iconic Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi.Find out more about Duane House Photo by Ruth Maria MurphyLovers Walk, Ireland, by Risn LaffertyIrish studio Risn Lafferty, formerly Kingston Lafferty Design, was influenced by Mies van der Rohe's 1929-designed Barcelona Pavilion when creating the striking floor-to-ceiling green marble wall within this family home in Cork.Called Lovers Walk, the dwelling features a bold collection of colour and texture from a "sensual" red quartzite kitchen to a swirly green oak-lined hallway.Find out more about Lovers Walk Photo by Jos HeviaRelmpago House, Spain, by H3OAnother home interior that caught readers' attention in 2024 is Relmpago House, a converted barnin Sant Just Desvern,Spain, which H3O studio renovated to reference a lightning bolt that struck the building generations ago.The unusual floor plan features three jagged walls delineating colourful and angular spaces within the single-storey home."Transforming a story into architecture seemed to us a fascinating and fun challenge," H3O told Dezeen.Find out more about Relmpago House Photo by Francisco Ascensao087, Portugal, by Fala AtelierFala Atelier is a firm favourite among the Dezeen readership, consistently applauded for its distinctive interior designs. The Porto studio added its trademark oversized spots and stripes to this Lisbon home, which features custom cabinetry and pinewoodflooring dotted with geometricwalnutaccents."We tried to diversify the material palette as much as possible while still making it quite banal," explained Fala Atelier partner Filipe Magalhes."The choices are very Portuguese, but the mixture aims at being more than just that," added the architect.Find out more about 087 Photo by David ZarzosoCasa Ona, Spain, by Paloma BauOne commenter declared Casa Ona "sublime" for the Valencian home's textured tiles and exposed surfaces, which formed part of a renovation by local studio Paloma Bau.Designed as an homage to the nearby sea, the interior was transformed from a dark and heavily partitioned space into a modern and functional home with exposed beams, sandy-coloured flooring and delicate fluted accents.Find out more about Casa Ona Photo by Alice MesguichCollectors Home, the Netherlands, by DAB StudioThis 1920s Dutch house was renovated to reference the Amsterdam School a movement from 1910 to 1920 thatpaid equal attentionto the architecture and interior design of a building.Interiors firm DAB Studio chose an Ettore Sottsass gridded feature wall and a sculptural green ladder for the Amsterdam home, which includes an eclectic selection of vintage and contemporary furniture."The interior has a free, creative spirit in which each element can stand on its own and be seen as art," studio co-founder Lotte Bruns told Dezeen.Find out more about Collectors Home Photo by Flix Dol MaillotUnivers Uchronia, France, by UchroniaPraised by Dezeen readers for its dramatic maximalism, Univers Uchronia is the self-designed Parisian home of Uchronia founder Julien Sebban.Sebban and his team chose glossy walls, ruched curtains and poured-in-placeresin flooring for the 1970s-style apartment, which was created as "a manifesto of [the Uchronia] universe", explained the founder.Known for its application of vibrant colours and undulating shapes, the studio took home the title of emerging interior designer of the year at the 2023 DezeenAwards and has since continued to create interiors in its distinctive style.Find out more about Univers Uchronia Photo by Avesh GaurHouse of Gond, India, by RenesaNew Delhi architecture office Renesa balanced contemporary details with references to traditional Indian homes for this apartment in Pune, created for a fashion designer.The home's interior layout aims to capture the charm of typical Keralan bungalows known as nlukettu, which were designed with four halls or buildings surrounding a central courtyard.A mixture of teak, rattan and antique chandeliers brings a subtle luxury to the home.Find out more about House of Gond Photo courtesy of Toledano + ArchitectsBiarritz apartment, France, by Toledano + ArchitectsThis Biarritz apartment captured readers' attention for its fluid forms that take cues from its seaside location.French studio Toledano + Architects renovated the dwelling with a wavy timber mezzanineto optimise the compact 70-square-metre footprint."The waves and the sinuous coast set the tone for the project, entirely drawn in curves," said architect Gabrielle Toledano.Find out more about this Biarritz apartment Photo by Alex Shoots BuildingsHouse in Kutn Hora, Czech Republic, by Byr ArchitektiUnexpected openings and colourful joinery were added to this 19th-century house in the Czech town of Kutn Hora, which Prague studio Byr Architekti renovated to "blur the boundary between the old and the new".The kitchen features pale blue painted cabinets and internal doors while a porthole window in this space also offers a glimpse of the home's spiral staircase.Find out more about House in Kutn Hora The post The top 10 home interiors of 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

A ship-like residential building by Renzo Piano forms part of Mareterra, a six-hectare land extension off the coast of Monaco, masterplanned by French studio Valode & Pistre Architects.Ten years in the making, Mareterra introduces a pedestrianised landscape alongside the popular Larvotto beach with a public park, promenade, art installations and several buildings.The project was overseen by Valode & Pistre Architects with landscaping by Michel Desvigne to help accommodate Monaco's continued growth. It was completed six months ahead of schedule.Monaco's land extension Mareterra has reached completionAmong its buildings is also Quatre Lances a tiny open-air museum designed by Piano's studio to house a five-metre-tall installation by the late artist Alexander Calder, though this is yet to be revealed in photographs."It's an exceptional project, a once-in-a-lifetime project," co-founder of Valode et Pistre Architects Denis Valode said of Mareterra."A very important idea with this project was to give Monaco new places for walking, squares and places that will add something new to Monaco."Marettera expands Monaco by six hectares. Photo by Loic ThebaudAs the land extension is built on water, it has a curved form designed to continue the natural flow of the marine current to maintain the health of the surrounding water.It was engineered by the civil engineering company Bouygues Travaux and relies on 18 submerged caissons a type of watertight retaining structure which are surrounded by artificial seagrass beds.It has been masterplanned by Valode et Pistre Architects. Photo by Loic ThebaudThe caissons incorporate grooves in their surfaces that are hoped to encourage algae and other marine life to latch on and colonise the structures.Above water, almost half of the six-hectare extension is made up of open-air public space, including a park spanning one hectare and the promenade that links to Larvotto beach.As part of its masterplan, Valode & Pistre Architectes oversaw the design of all Mareterra's infrastructure and public facilities. According to the team, 80 per cent of its heating and cooling is powered by renewable energy.It also led to the design of the district's central area Les Jardins d'Eau, which features four residential buildings with balconies overlooking a landscape of trees and the sea beyond.Renzo Piano Building Workshop designed the port areaRenzo Piano Building Workshop led the design of Mareterra's port, which includes Le Renzo the first building named after its founder.Le Renzo is a residential building with a fragmented ship-like form, intended as a landmark for the development.Read: Manhattan Island extension could provide homes for 250,000 people"Le Renzo is like a ship ready to set sail from the new shores of Monaco," said studio associate Joost Moolhuijzen."The color of this 'ship' is entirely white-blue, adapting constantly to the colour of the sky and the sea."This included the ship-like Le Renzo buildingAnother of Renzo Piano Building Workshop's contributions to the project, Quatre Lances, was described by Piano as his "smallest ever museum"'.It was designed specifically to house the installation by Calder that was acquired by Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966 but has since been hidden away in storage. The artwork stands in a pool of water surrounded by concrete panels.Mareterra is complete with lush landscaping selected by Desvigne with a focus on native plant species, which is hoped to boost local biodiversity.There is also a series of private villas in the district with designs by architects including Foster + Partners, Stefano Boeri Architetti and Tadao Ando, though these have not yet been revealed in images.Le Renzo is designed as a landmark for MareterraLand reclamation and extensions are becoming increasingly common around the world, as cities find ways to grapple with issues such as population growth and climate change. One of the most notable examples is the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.In Copenhagen, Urban Power is currently developing plans for nine artificial islands that will be used as a tech hub while doubling as a flood barrier. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the government is planning one of the world's largest artificial islands to solve "serious" land shortage.The photography is by Hufton + Crow unless stated otherwise.The post Monaco's six-hectare land extension reaches completion appeared first on Dezeen.

ChatGPT powered Rabbit R1 is a pocketable personal assistant that has a lot under its belt, even though in unpolished software version right now. Sized nearly half that of an iPhone, the device co-designed with Teenage Engineering has a very clickily feel to it and can do a range of tasks independently without relying on phones or smart home gadgets.This cute little gadget has garnered a lot of interest and popularity for its compact form factor and the signature papaya hue. Some concept designs have also been inspired by the R1 for its pocket friendly appeal. These pair of headphones are yet another example of what modern day gadgets could be like.Designer: Rithik RaviDubbed the Rabbit AI Headphone, this audio accessory breaks the predictable design language of both over-the-ear headies and open-ear design ones. The playful yet sophisticated aesthetic of the concept headphones is blended with the AI-driven features for an enhanced user experience. Visual language of the Rabbits design brings an eye-catching persona to the bold pair of headphones. There are displays on the outer surface of the headies on each side to display the Rabbits logo and Now Playing elements like play, pause, next tract and visualization. How comfortable the square-shaped cans are going to be for extended duration of use is left to anybodys imagination.Apart from the visual goodness, the headphones come with features like adaptive sound modes, personalized audio profiles and intuitive touch controls. The designer has made no mention of the hardware specifications of this proposed concept for a Rabbit product that could some day be a part of the brands line-up. But hey, thats where we at Yanko Design come in, fueling the imagination of budding designers who could shape the unknown future of whats going to be mainstream. To that accord, we believe the headphones to have a major Teenage Engineering influence with potent drivers knitted deeply with the software ecosystem.The post AI-powered Rabbit headphones concept are a cool pair of cans for Gen-Z first appeared on Yanko Design.

In the ideal world scenario, we are still awaiting a hybrid camper that allows us to drive it for everyday chores and also take it for an escape into the countryside without worrying about returning before the heart is contented with nature and tranquillity. Scottish conversion specialist Campervan Co. has conjured up something along the lines of the delightful conversion of the Toyota Estima Hybrid.The ride called the Eco Escape is a hybrid camper van thats apt for everyday city usage, is compliant with Euro emissions standards, affordable to own, and eventually a home away from home. The converter has given the hybrid family car a living space that is modular enough to accommodate some gear, has a pop-up roof to increase sleeping space, is outfitted with a necessary kitchen, and has a battery backup for living uninterrupted for a long time. All this while inherently being an all-wheel drive, five-seat van for city driving and daily commuting.Designer: Campervan CoThe five-seat Eco Escape camper van has been designed to sleep four people in its customized interior where the cockpit seats swivel and the three-seat bench on the back is completely adjustable to become a full-width bed or a cozy dining area. It is designed to be a full camper yet without the need for the user to rearrange much or remove anything from the Estima to take it on city roads to drive to work, take children to school, or go shopping with family.In the base model, the Eco Escape sleeps two on the main floor, while the company gives you the option to customize it with an add-on pop-up sleeper roof. This is TentBox Lite XL roof tent comprising a double mattress, you can access using a telescopic ladder. It can also be customized with a handful of other add-ons including a portable toilet, solar panels, bike racks, and more.Besides the optional fittings, the camper van comes ready with a rare kitchen pod complete with a small sink with a folding faucet, induction cooktop, compressor fridge box, a few storage compartments and an integrated water tank. Campervan Co is currently retailing the base model of the Eco Escape built on a 2006 model of the Toyota Estima Hybrid for as little as 19,995.The post Toyota Hybrid Eco Escape camper van is a daily driver prepared to take you to the countryside for days together first appeared on Yanko Design.

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